High school teacher/author Debra Craig Returns to Save Public Education from Itself and NCLB Propaganda Machine.

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The author of “Why Is the Teacher’s Butt So Big? Plus 111 Other Mysteries of Public Education", (A.T. Publishing, NY 2006) says her first goal is to obliterate the massive propaganda machine in place to herald the 4th Anniversary of the absurd and unrealistic No Child Left Behind Act.

Moreno Valley, CA (PRWEB)January 9, 2006

Debra Craig, teacher and author of the book “Why Is the Teacher’s Butt So Big? Plus 111 Other Mysteries of Public Education” (A.T. Publishing, NY, 2006 ISBN#0-9740534-1-4) is back on her mission to make all public schools better. The high school on-campus suspension teacher took a two month break from promoting her book and cause due to personal/family matters.

But now she’s ready to begin the battle again and her first task is to counteract the “warm fuzzy feeling” propaganda the government will be feeding the public this week in order to make it appear their highly touted No Child Left Behind legislation is successful. President Bush and crew will be attending an elementary school in Maryland which has “closed the achievement gap between White and African-American students.”

Debra comments “Not mentioned is if they also closed the gap for the Hispanic population which is 11% of the population. Remember, we can leave “NO” child behind.”

“I congratulate the staff at this school for their hard work. While I don’t want to take anything away from that what the school achieved, this school’s enrollment is only 224 students, hardly a “typical” elementary school! The principal was able to “personally sit down and meet with every fourth and fifth grader.” How many principals have that luxury? Also 40% of the student body is white which is still considered a high percentage compared to many Title I schools. But wait, because less than 40% of the student body qualified for the free/reduced lunch programs, this means it probably is not a school in a low socio-economic area, or a Title I school.”

“Why isn’t President Bush visiting one of the 21 school districts in New Jersey which are considered “failing” after four years of NCLB? If NCLB is so great for education, then why are these schools struggling? Oh, I know…they must have the “bad” teachers.”

While it might appear that Debra has nothing to good to say about this legislation designed to schools accountable for academic success for all students, she claims it isn’t true. “I am glad that something came about to wake-up schools and remind them that many were not doing the job they were supposed to do.”

“However, the very premise of NCLB is that teachers and schools were somehow not teaching to African-American and Hispanic children, especially those at low socio-economic schools, and this is just absurd! I asked myself, are they subtly suggesting that teachers and schools are somewhat “racists” therefore this “achievement gap” exists because of them?” The “achievement gap” refers to the gap in test scores between Caucasian/Asian students and African-American/Hispanic students. Since all students sit in the same classroom, I would like them to explain how this happens.”

According to this 8-year teaching veteran, “This landmark legislation has been wrecking havoc with schools for the past four years. This is not a cause for celebration, but a call for action. This too powerful legislation must be changed before it ruins the education of children everywhere by focusing in the elementary school level solely on math/reading scores and not also on science/social studies/the arts curriculum. It also doesn’t understand that while it is commendable to want all students to achieve some artificial level of success, in reality, we all have different abilities, limitations, and most importantly, motivations. No one is to blame, that’s just the way it is. ”

“Also, our government needs to wake up and realize that until the parents of children in America make education a priority in their child’s life, there is only so much a public school can do.”

Debra Craig is available for media appearances and interviews, schedule permitting. “Why Is the Teacher’s Butt So Big? Plus 111 Other Mysteries of Public Education” (A.T. Publishing, 2006, ISBN #0-9740534-1-4 is available at Amazon.com and her website, debracraig.com. It can also be ordered from any major retail bookstore.